*NOTE: Unranked schools on this list don’t have on-campus living options, so on-campus costs are not available.

The Keystone State is also home to stretches of the Appalachian Trail and many other beautiful natural areas. If you're planning on attending college in Pennsylvania, make sure you're getting a good value using PayScale's College ROI data.

Located just three miles from downtown Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is made up of seven colleges and independent schools. CMU is home to one of the leading robotics research institutes in the country, and that's a skillset that is in higher demand than ever in today's economy. (News stories of companies like Uber poaching talent from CMU's student pool demonstrate just how valuable.) The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama is among the most highly ranked in the U.S. too. Numerous accomplished alumni, including several astronauts, eight Academy Award winners and more than 100 Emmy award winners, are graduates of the school.

The University of Pennsylvania is also a great investment for students who can get in. Founded by Benjamin Franklin, this prestigious Ivy League school was among the nine original Colonial Colleges. Located in West Philadelphia, UPenn's 279-acre campus is dominated by a Collegiate Gothic style. The alumni list includes Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Elizabeth Banks, Warren Buffet, John Legend, Dr. Oz, and Steve Wynn.